Gwinnett Daily Post

LILBURN -- A man driving a stolen Mercedes Benz who initially tried to flee from police through ceiling panels in a CVS store, was eventually caught in a freezer unit in an Ingles store next door.

The incident occurred on Rockbridge Road in unincorporated Lilburn just before 10 a.m. on Friday, as Gwinnett police participated in a crime suppression detail they call the "South Side Surge," Cpl. Jake Smith said. Most officers who are not on patrol, such as community response teams and motors units are assigned to the south precinct, Smith said.

Those officers realized the suspect drove the late model grey-blue vehicle he had stolen from Florida, but did not know how he came in possession of it, Smith said.

When the suspect realized police were in the area, Smith said he ran into the CVS and tried to flee through the back door. When he couldn't get out, he then tried to climb out through ceiling panels.

Stymied again, Smith said the suspect ran through the front door of the CVS and into the Ingles immediately next door.

In the Ingles, Ballinger was found in a freezer unit in the back of the store by a K-9 unit.

Smith said police have the suspect's name, but are unsure of the spelling. The suspect is in custody and charges are pending.